It All Started That Night
by GhostlyMaiden
Summary: AU. NaruSasuSaku threesome. A human, a fox, and a tainted one go from strangers to lovers. How did that happen? Well, it all started that night...
1. Pitch Black

**WARNING**: This story is a Naruto/Sasuke/Sakura THREESOME meaning there will be YAOI AND HET. If either squicks you or you dislike multiple partner relationships then do yourself a favor and hit the back button on your web browser, instead of flaming me. Thank you.

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**It All Started That Night**  
I. _Pitch Black_

"The darkness shrouds the woods. The stars in the sky and the flames lit by man rebels against this darkness, but it is futile without the light of the moon." A red-eyed man says from his perch upon a high cliff overlooking the forest. He turns to the person standing next to him and says, "The night is when man is most vulnerable." The figure nods his head in agreement.

"I understand."

"I don't need anyone slowing me down." The man says calmly. The figure turns his head, locking the red eyes with his gaze.

"I know." His voice is even and unwavering. The red-eyed man smirks and turns to the other figures standing behind them. "Very well then. It begins."

------

"My lady, we have to set up camp now. It will be too dangerous to travel further after the sun sets." The sky had been streaked with reds and purples when she heard those words. Now the darkness has settled in the peaceful camp. In one of the tents lies two young women, wrapped in blankets. One hugs herself tightly as chills run down her spine.

"Are you cold, Sakura? I can have the men bring in another blanket for you." The blonde woman says kindly to her handmaiden after hearing the soft chattering of teeth. Sakura shakes her head in response.

"That is not necessary Lady Yamanaka. It is just that the night is filled with fearsome beasts…" She hugs herself tighter as she keeps her eyes low, even though it is impossible to make deliberate eye contact in the dark.

"How many times have I told you, Sakura? You may address me as Ino. We are friends after all." Ino says cheerfully. "And don't worry so much. My father wouldn't let us go without his strongest men protecting us."

_Protecting you, you mean. I'm expendable._ Sakura thinks to herself bitterly. Outwardly, she smiles at her lady. "Yes, madam."

"See? You're doing it again! What kind of a servant are you?" Ino sits up and points her finger towards the direction of Sakura's voice. "You can't even follow your lady's orders!"

"I'm sorry, madam." Sakura keeps her head low as a good servant should. Her lady sighs and lies back down on her back. She places her hands behind her head.

"My tutor gave you one of those lectures before we left didn't he? Don't listen to him, Sakura. Regardless of your status, I think of you as my little sister and I'll protect you with my life." She turns her head and smiles at Sakura through the darkness.

"You shouldn't say such things, my lady." Sakura says as a warm feeling in her chest travels to her cheeks. "It is unfitting of-"

"Someone as regal and noble as me, right? That Ebisu is so full of himself and he's always sucking up to mother and father." The blonde rolls her eyes. "Forget him, Sakura. Now be a good little sister and get some sleep." She says and turns on her side. Sakura makes no reply, instead pulling her blanket up to her chin.

"Good night, Lady Ino."

------

"Do you smell that?" A small red fox sniffs the air.

"What? The humans? We have no reason to mess with them, even if there are women." A large stag rests his head in a bed of grass. "Right now would be a good time for a nap, don't you think?"

"Get up, you lazy ass!" The fox nips at the stag's behind with his teeth. The stag looks at the fox with half-lidded eyes.

"I'd kick you, but that would be too troublesome."

"Don't you smell, you know, _tainted blood_?" The fox yips out. The stag lifts his nose to the air breathing deeply. He sighs and gets up on all fours.

"Go back and inform the Alpha. I'll go ahead and keep watch on the humans."

"But I-!"

"Don't make this more troublesome than it already is. Besides…" He turns to the fox, looking at him straight in the eye. "I outrank you, _Omega_." The stag turns away and runs off. The fox's fur visibly bristles from the words, as a soft growl escapes through his teeth.

"Understood, _Gamma_." He sneers and bounds off in the opposite direction.

------

It is a tranquil night, with just the soft crackles of campfire, the silent awareness of vigilant guards and an innocent deer watching just a few yards away.

_Hmmm…This group is larger than the normal companies that pass through this valley. There's a tighter security force as well. A pair of guards are standing directly outside the central tent. There's a woman's scent coming from there. A princess or noble perhaps?_ The deer thinks to himself as he quickly analyzes the situation. _The tainted ones, considering the origin of their scent while factoring the wind direction, are roughly less than thirty meters away. Without reinforcements, all these people will die within an hour…_

"Ah! Ow!" A loud, high-pitched voice breaks his thoughts as his head swivels to a fox who had the misfortune of stepping on a rather sharp and pointy rock.

"You moron, I thought I told you to inform the Alpha." The deer says pointedly, while the fox grins in response.

"I did. Did you forget about my special technique?" The fox says brightly. _Like hell I'm missing out on kicking some ass just because of my rank._ He thinks to himself, knowing without a doubt that the Alpha would've ordered him to stay behind.

"What a drag." The deer mutters. "Don't get in the way, troublesome fox." The fox partially squints his eyes at the deer and huffs.

"Get in the way, huh. Pfft, watch this." The fox disappears leaving a puff of smoke behind.

"Wait, you moron! Damn it!" The deer swears under his breath. _Don't get killed, Naruto._

------

A loud high-pitched scream rouses the silent camp to full wakefulness. Sakura trembles in the embrace of her captor. One cold, callous hand is placed over her mouth and the other is wrapped around her arms and torso. A tear falls from her eye as fangs scrape the nape of her neck.

"The guards outside are already dead." The man whispers into her ear. His hot breath sends shivers through her body. "Come with us quietly and your life will be spared."

"Let go of Sakura this instant, you monster!" Ino yells at the man, only able to see his glowing red eyes. _Damned Marked…I can't tell where Sakura is. If I try to attack, I may hurt her._ A flash of white light illuminates the tent for an instant before turning a deep, dark red. A muffled scream resounds in the tent while a blade greedily saps the blood of it's victim. Tears spill freely from wide, green eyes as blood drips over pink, parted lips. The tearing of skin, followed by the howl of a man is heard as the feral warcry of a pink-haired beast shakes the Earth.

"SHANNARO!" Sakura rushes wildly at the tall, dark-haired man that had just run a katana through her Lady's abdomen. The man calmly grabs her wrists holding her in place. She thrashes as green eyes gaze hatefully into vibrant red. She clamps her teeth into one of the arms that holds her. The man makes no response other than to use his other hand to grab onto her long, pink hair instead. He pulls back tightly, but Sakura holds firm.

"Crazy bitch." A voice mutters from the corner. The first man who had held her, is cradling his arm which had four deep, red lines running diagonally along it. "This woman better be worth the trouble." The taller pale man ignores him and instead knees the woman in the stomach. She gasps, releasing her hold and crumples to the floor on her knees.

"Come with us quietly, and I'll let her soul reach heaven." The taller man says to the hunched form. She looks at him, still dry heaving, and growls.

"Sa…ku…ra…run…" A soft whisper draws the girl's attention.

"Ino!" Sakura calls out between breaths. Ino stands up and pulls the katana from her body. She holds it in front of her, taking advantage of the light offered by the sword.

"Run for it…" The blonde demands in a broken, nasal voice as she charges the taller man. She raises the sword above her head. The black-cloaked man plunges his hand deep into her chest. She screams in pain as a blinding white light emits from the wound.

_He's going to rip out her soul!_ Sakura thinks to herself. "NO! STOP!" She calls out. "PLEASE!"

"Does this mean you'll come quietly?" The shorter male behind her asks and she turns to look at him. His eyes glow menacingly at her as the blade's light tints his pale skin red, making him look like a demon from Hell. The black stripes, white fangs, and long, bushy hair only add to his monstrous look. A katana is strapped to the back of his black yukata. He stares at her blankly, showing no sign of affect. He almost looks bored with the events. Her teeth grit together tightly. Her only friend is being killed in front of her and he dared offer no remorse, no sympathy, for what he's letting happen?! _As can be expected from a monster like him._ She snarls inwardly. Another scream tears her attention away as the blue eyes of her mistress start to dilate.

"Ino…" Sakura whispers as she lowers her head, ready to submit to their demands.

"HEY BASTARD! THAT'S NO WAY TO TREAT A LADY, YOU KNOW!" A loud, brash voice snaps her head up in time to see Ino fall to the floor. Three red foxes clamber over the taller Marked. One has it's jaws firmly clamped into the arm that had been ripping Ino's soul out before. Another is on the man's head, digging claws into the man's scalp. The third clung onto the Marked's back, with it's claws entangled in the man's long, black cloak with red cloud designs. The Marked man slams his arm against the side of the tent making the fox disappear in a puff of smoke. Two more foxes dart through the tent flap and leap at the Marked man.

"Goddamn kitsune! Get off me!" The second Marked yells as he thrashes wildly, covered in his own pile of vulpes.

"Hey, you're pretty cute." She whirls toward the same voice from earlier, coming face to face with blue eyes, blond hair, and whisker-like scars on lightly tanned cheeks. He's also wearing a garish black and orange jumpsuit with a black bandana tied over his forehead. One eye closes as he winks. "Come on! Come on! I'll get you out of here!" He grabs her arm and pulls her along before she can speak.

"W-Wait a minute! Lady Ino is still-!" She turns her head back in time to notice an identical blond man carrying Ino, who still held the odd sword, out of the tent in his arms. _What the? What's going on here?_ She thinks to herself. Her longs legs are moving faster than ever just to keep up with the boy. Rocks, twigs and various other fauna cut into her bare feet. The wind slices through the thin layers of her nightgown bringing gooseflesh upon her skin. None of it matters compared to the beating of her heart, pounding louder than thunder in her ears.

Sakura nearly slams into the boy's back as he suddenly stops. She then notices a pair of red eyes glowing in the darkness, no less than twelve feet in front of her. "Give us the girl, you damn fox." The voice of the Marked man says coldly. His eyes seemingly wince as they flicker between red and black.

"I don't think so, bastard." The blond grins widely and points his finger at the man. "I'm going to protect humans from scum like you and become a kyubi! Believe it!" A loud, grinding chuckle is heard in response to his declaration.

"It's your funeral." The man snarls. White sparks flicker along a black outline. "Chidori!" He roars as hot, white light surges towards the two. The boy pushes Sakura out of the way and screams as he takes the brunt of the attack. Sakura screams soon after as she watches the boy's body vaporize in front of her eyes. The red-eyed figure breathes heavily. His shoulders rise and fall steadily with each breath. "Now that that's settled, you're coming with me." He stalks over to her. She quickly glances around the area, finding no one, not even the other blond and Ino.

_What do I do?_ She asks herself as she steps backward. The ragged breaths grow louder, while the red eyes grow dimmer. She barely notices a glint of red, just a short distance behind the Marked man. _Another one?!_ She thinks to herself as adrenaline fills her body, urging her to run. However, her mind screams that she could never outrun a Marked and should just go quietly in the slight chance that her life would be spared.

In an instant, the red glint disappears and the red eyes disappear shortly afterwards. The breathing stops with a soft grunt followed by the soft thud of a body falling onto grass. "Hey! You okay?!" A blond boy emerges from the darkness with his hands behind his head.

"You! You're alive?!" Sakura gapes.

"Of course! That was just a clone, you know. I send a lot of 'em out to scout out Marked and help humans escape and stuff." He says with a wide smile, giving her a thumbs up. "When that bastard destroyed my clone, I brought a little help."

"Help?" She inquires.

"Yo!" A grey-haired man steps out from the darkness with a person thrown over his shoulder. He has a black headband tied over one eye and a mask that covers his lower face.

"Hey Kakashi-beta! You're gonna kill this jerk, right?" The blond boy asks the older man as he looks over the black-haired boy.

"I've sealed the effects of his mark and bound his wrists and ankles with special energy draining rope. I think it'd be best to see if we can get some information first before we dispose of him." Kakashi says to the blond.

"Eh? That's no fun. I guess that makes sense though." The blond responds.

"Hmmm…" Kakashi looks over Sakura, who tenses under his gaze. "Naruto is right. You have a pleasant scent." He closes his eye cheerfully. "May I have your name, miss?"

"Ah, Sakura Haruno." She responds with an edge of nervousness in her voice.

"I'm Naruto!" The blond says loudly.

"Kakashi." The grey-haired man turns his back. "The Marked are withdrawing. We need to head back to camp. Miss. Haruno, if you could accompany us…" He starts to walk away. Sakura hesitates. Naruto takes her hand.

"Come on! Come on! The sooner we get back, the sooner you can see your friend!" He says to her. Her heart skips a beat, as wings of hope flutter in her chest.

"Ino? Lady Ino will be there?" She asks, grabbing the boy's collar desperately, drawing his face an inch away from her own.

"Yeah, yeah. The pretty blonde who was with you earlier. One of my clones dropped her off with the healers a while back." He says waving his arms erratically. She smiles and lets him go.

"Well then, what are we waiting for?" She clasps her hands behind her back and follows Kakashi. Naruto takes a moment to fully appreciate her form.

_Not bad for a human. Curves are in all the right places, even if they're isn't much of a curve to them. Must be a late bloomer._ His eyes linger on her nearly visible pink panties, peeking through the slightly transparent nightgown. "Oh!" Naruto says to himself as a realization strikes his thoughts. He runs over to Sakura's side, tossing his jacket on her shoulders. "Here! It's a little cold to be walking around without a jacket, you know?" Her cheeks flush as she slips her arms into the jacket's sleeves.

"T-Thank you." She says. She arches an eyebrow, when she notices the fox boy's holding his nose with wide eyes. She lowers her gaze to find that her nightgown had slipped exposing herself. Her cheeks grow a darker shade of red. "NARUTO!" She slams a fist down on his head.

"Ah! Ow! Ow!" Naruto whines, nursing the growing bump on his head. "Sakura…" She turns away and zips up the jacket. Her feet pound the forest floor as she walks.

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Authoress Notes: Well, that's the first chapter. More information on the Marked and our lovely animal friends will be revealed next time. This was originally going to be a standard vampires vs. werewolves fic, but I decided to incorporate more of the Narutoverse into it. So as you can see, the Marked "eat" souls not drink blood. The animals can transform at any time without the aid of the moon. And humans are humans of course :P.

Disclaimer: I do not own _Naruto_. This fiction is made purely for fan services and entertainment.

_GhostlyMaiden_


	2. Dusty Brown

**It All Started That Night**  
II. _Dusty Brown_

"Hmph, it's that kid again."

"You'd think he'd die by now."

"Figures dirty blood like his wouldn't own up."

A petite, dark-haired boy reads his textbook, stone-faced as always. His fingers grip the book a little tighter than necessary, turning his knuckles white. He tries to focus on the black lettering instead of the whispers his keen ears pick up easily.

"What's so special about that mongrel?"

"Yeah, he can't even breathe fire!"

After class, the boy is trapped in the middle of a circle composed of his classmates. The school is too far away and there are no teachers to stop them from tormenting the boy. One boy shoves him from behind, making him fall forward and scraping his knees on the pavement.

"You should stay on all fours like the mutt you are!" The boy laughs. The dark-haired boy ignores him and stands up. He is knocked down again by another one of his classmates. He tries to stand up once more, but is knocked down once again.

"You're being a bad, bad dog!" Another boy holds out a three inch thick club. "Bad dogs should be punished!" He calls out, slamming the club on the smaller boy's back. The boy grunts in pain, gritting his teeth as he is struck over and over.

"Hey, let's see if this stupid mutt can do a trick for us!" The first boy hollers out and grabs onto the dark-haired boy's collar.

"Yeah, if you can do it, we'll leave you alone." The second boy says to him. The dark-haired boy keeps his face expressionless which infuriates his tormentors. They drag him without permitting him to get up from all fours. His blood-soaked knees leave a trail along the pavement.

They toss him to the edge of a wooden pier overlooking a lake. The boy stands up already knowing what they want him to do.

"Let's see if the mutt can give us a nice fireball."

"Yeah, a real big one!" They laugh. The boy closes his eyes. He can feel the burning irritation in his chest. The words of his classmates, accompanied with the stinging in his knees fuels the burning sensation. He opens his mouth, inhaling deeply. He exhales, feeling flames lick at his lips. His eyes snap open, taking in the sight of red and orange flames that he had managed to create for the first time in his life. As the flames die down, a sense of pride tugs at his lips almost bringing him to smile.

It is short-lived though, as he feels pressure on his back knocking him face-first into the lake. He thrashes in shock before breaking the surface of the water. He wades back to land as his classmates laugh.

"Some Uchiha you are! A match would burn brighter!" They holler, leaving the dripping boy by himself. Tears prickle in his dark eyes and he tosses his backpack on the ground. His ruined textbooks spill out on the grass.

"I'll show them." He growls out with clenched fists as he makes his way back to the edge of the pier.

The boy is engulfed in white light, growing older. Closed, black eyes open to see a large, scarred, black bear looming over him. The bear chuckles throatily at the blank expression that the boy seemed to permanently have stuck on his face.

"I'm warning you now, kid. It'll only get worse. Cooperate with us or I'll expose you to the worst horrors that dwell inside that head of yours." The bear grins at him. "Now, what is your name?" The boy makes no response, not even blinking. "Don't say I didn't warn you." He bears his teeth, smiling fiercely at the boy.

_Do what you will._ The young Marked thinks to himself. _I'm not betraying my clan._ His eyelids grow heavy and his head pitches forward. His mind anticipates his next memory.

------

Sakura looks over the many animals, humans, and animals-turned human that are gathered in the secret base, hidden within the tunnels of a mountain. Her eyes linger on the pile of dead bodies, fearful that her lady may be, if she isn't already, placed on that pile soon. She recognizes the faces of many guards in that pile, and her chest grows heavy in grief, even though she never even knew their names. She feels a pull on her arm, as the blond boy suddenly pulls her into the mess of people.

"Lady Ino!" She calls out as soon as the blonde woman comes into her line of sight. She tears from Naruto's grip, running to her lady's side. "Lady Ino! Lady Ino!" She cries out.

"Oi, troublesome woman, be quiet already. The girl needs rest." A pony-tailed, brunet man says from his cross-legged position next to Ino.

"Shikamaru! Stop being an ass!" Naruto says to him. "Sakura was really worried, you know!"

"Don't mind him. He's just sore because he had to cut off a piece of his antler to save her." Sakura turns toward the voice and freezes at the sight of a four-foot tall, green caterpillar.

"KYAAAAAA!" She screams, moving to hide behind Naruto. "Get it away! Get it away!" She flails her arms in panic.

"Calm down, Sakura. That's just Chouji." Naruto says to her with a wide grin. She just cowers further, shrinking herself into a ball.

"I guess you don't like bugs?" Chouji asks rhetorically. A puff of smoke covers his form and is replaced by a large, well-rounded boy with spirals tattooed on his cheeks. Sakura relaxes, trying to collect herself. She bows to him.

"I'm sorry, Chouji. I must have come off very rude." She says to him. _What the hell are these people?!_ She screams inwardly.

"Don't worry about it. Most girls don't seem to like bugs anyway." He says, pulling out a bag of chips from his pouch.

"Uh, I don't want to be rude, but _what_ are you people exactly?" Sakura says, scratching her head nervously.

"I'm a kitsune. Chouji is one of Mothra's children, and Shikamaru is a Nara deer." Naruto explains to her. Seeing the still questionable expression on the woman's face, Shikamaru explains further.

"We're sacred animals. All animals can become sacred if they complete certain tasks for their deities. I'm a Nara deer, so unlike other deer I have golden antlers which can be brewed into medicines." He rests his chin on his sand. "This base houses a special group of sacred animals known as the Leaf Guardians. We aid humans and protect them from the Marked."

"I see." Sakura places her finger under her chin. "So, you're good guys then!" She says cheerily.

"Yep!" Naruto exclaims. Chouji munches on his chips and Shikamaru sighs.

------

The bear looks over his unconscious victim. The boy has been one of the toughest eggs to crack in a long while. He already brought up nearly all of the boy's worst memories and darkest nightmares and the boy still would not acquiesce to his demands. _It's time to step things up._ The bear thinks to himself, his sadistic side beaming happily from within.

He extends his mind into the clouded mess of thoughts of the Marked. Due to the limited abilities of his kind, the bear has no clear visuals of what goes on inside the Marked's head. All he sees are colors indicating the emotions and how strong they are, aligned to each thought process. He takes a piece of a particular vibrant shade of white and starts to weave black and red into the dreams. He tears pieces from other dreams and memories, sewing them into his personal quilt. He smirks as he watches the boy shift in his slumber. His homemade nightmare clearly affecting the Marked boy.

This time, his classmates had cut his face with their claws, saying that the girls wouldn't like him now that he wasn't pretty anymore. He tried to fight back this time, but there were too many and they overpowered him. He wipes a trail of blood that drips over his eye, hissing at the pain from accidentally running one of his fingers over an open cut.

It is late now. The boy having temporarily passed out from blood loss for a few hours. His mark burned brightly, keeping the boy alive with it's power, as he made his way to his house. He opens the large gate in front of the mansion where the head of the clan, his father, lives.

"I'm home!" He calls with fake cheer from the front door of the house. His voice echoes in the vast hallways. Nervousness creeps under his skin when silence is the only response. _Mom usually comes and fusses over my injuries. Is she sleeping? Did she go out?_ The boy didn't bother to worry over his father, who usually spent more time working than at home, and his brother who accompanied his father at work.

"Sasuke?" The boy turns to find his older brother standing directly behind him.

_When did he?_ The boy thinks to himself when his brother's fingers run over his lacerated cheek.

"What's this?" He asks.

"I scratched my face in a thorn bush." Sasuke lies with a smile. His brother taps Sasuke's forehead with two fingers.

"Foolish little brother." He says with a weird smile. He takes Sasuke's hand in his. "I have something to show you."

"Something to show me? What is it? Will I like it?" Sasuke asks excitedly, practically bouncing in step.

"Patience…" His brother simply responds, opening the door to their parents' room. He guides Sasuke into the dark room.

"I can't see, brother…" Sasuke whimpers.

"Then use your eyes." He says, making Sasuke's cheeks blush in embarrassment. Sasuke closes his eyes tightly, summoning the power of his mark to allow his eyes to see through the darkness. He opens them and gasps at what he sees.

His parents lie one on top of the other, soaked in blood, with wide vacant eyes. "Mother! Father!" He cries out, breaking from his brother's grip and running to their sides. Tears spill down his cheeks as his hand touches the cold skin of his mother's hand. He turns to his brother. "Who did this, brother? Who could have done this?" He asks.

His brother doesn't respond. Instead, he draws his katana and points it toward Sasuke. "No…" The boy whispers as his brother advances towards him. "No, it can't be…" He trembles fearfully as his brother grows closer. "NO!" The boy screams and runs away from his brother. "DON'T KILL ME!" He begs as he runs haphazardly through the halls and eventually, outside onto the street.

He freezes at the sight of corpses lining the pavement and blood splattered in large, red blotches on the walls of his neighbor's houses. "Sasuke…" Sasuke turns and faces his brother.

"Why? Why did you kill everyone, brother?" He asks.

"To test my mark."

"To test your mark?! You killed everyone to test your mark?!" He screams, feeling his own mark burn stripes along his skin. He charges at his brother in blind rage. His brother simply grabs Sasuke by the neck and tightens his grasp. The boy struggles, digging his claws into pale flesh.

"You're not even worth killing." His brother says and tosses him away. The back of Sasuke's head smashes against the pavement bringing sparks to his vision. "A filthy mongrel like you isn't worthy to die under the name of Uchiha." Sasuke's eyes widen at the words he had heard many times before, but never from his own brother.

"This isn't real…" He whispers. "My brother…My brother would never…" He grasps his head.

"I have always hated you, Sasuke. You were never an Uchiha. You never will be. And now…" Sasuke looks up to see his brother turn the katana on himself. "The great clan of Uchiha is no more." Sasuke can only watch as his brother commits suicide.

"No…no…no…NO!"

"NO! NO! NO! NO!" The Marked awakens, his mind trapped in the fresh memories of his nightmare. The bear smiles, knowing he successfully broke the boy's will. The Marked's screams subside into soft whimpers as he draws his knees to his chest.

"Now, what is your name?"

"Sasuke…Uchiha…"

------

"What is your report, Ibiki?" The brunet man, known as the "Alpha", asks the black bear. The bear grunts and sighs.

"His name is Sasuke Uchiha. The kid's a damn fledgeling. This was his first hunt apparently. He wasn't given any details, just 'collect the girl' and 'eat as much as you want with the rest'. However," The bear rubs one of his claws under his chin, "he is the younger brother of Itachi Uchiha. They're supposed to be _close_."

"So, you think we may be able to use this kid as bait then?" The Alpha inquires. "If we can kill Itachi of the Black Flames, we would gain a great advantage…"

"I disagree." A white wolf, with a black headband tied over one eye and horns on his head, says from the corner. "The boy's mark is strange. Not only does he possess the kaleidoscope symbol of the Uchiha clan, but he also has the three tomoe symbol of the Tenfuuin clan."

"A hybrid? I thought the Marked liked to keep their bloodlines pure?" A golden-feathered bird with blazing red eyes asks from her perch.

"I think the Marked are experimenting on children through selective breeding in hopes of enhancing or creating stronger abilities. Many Marked I've faced for the last two years have displayed stranger abilities than I've seen in my entire lifetime." The wolf speculates out loud. "I'd like a chance to examine him further. Perhaps, since he's so young, we could even convert him to our side?"

"Unlikely." The bear scoffs. "He is devoted to his clan and Itachi even more. We'd probably have to bring Itachi to our side before we could bring that kid over."

"Like we need more of those filthy beings with us anyway." A tiger growls from the side. The Alpha taps his chin in thought. He turns to the wolf.

"Kakashi, can you keep the mark under control?" He asks the wolf.

"Yes. The boy has only started learning how to use his powers. It will be easy enough to keep him subdued." The wolf nods.

"Very well, I'll give you one week to examine him to assess his abilities. You will also be his personal guard. Afterwards, we will send a notice to the Marked that we have Sasuke Uchiha and will only release him in exchange for Itachi Uchiha. If Itachi doesn't submit to our demands, we will kill the boy." The Alpha concludes and dismisses the group.

"Marked sympathizer…" The tiger growls lowly as he passes Kakashi. The wolf ignores him and changes into a tall, grey-haired man.

------

"Sakura…get away…" The young noble mutters as her mind flutters into consciousness. Her eyelids open to reveal a blurry pink mass. "Sakura…?" As the green eyes come into focus, Ino sits up and hugs Sakura tightly. "Sakura!" She pulls back, looking over her servant. "You're not hurt are you? Ah! Ow! Damn!" She winces, acknowledging the pain shooting from her abdomen.

"Hey, troublesome woman. Lie down already." Shikamaru gently grabs her shoulders and pushes her down. "You're going to rip open your stitches."

"I'm so glad you're all right, Sakura." She says, taking Sakura's hand.

"Yep! I saved her just in time! Heroes always come in right at the last minute!" The fox boy exclaims.

"Moron!" Sakura uses her free hand to smash him upside the head. "If you were there sooner, Lady Ino wouldn't be like this!"

"Ah, but Sakura…" Naruto whines.

"Well, thanks for saving us anyway." Ino smiles. She turns up her nose and looks away from him. "But be quicker about it next time!"

"Hehe…" Naruto chuckles uneasily.

**BOOM! CRASH!** The roof of the cave falls in as sand spills through.

"What's going on? Is it the Marked?!" Sakura asks. A man with red hair, carrying a large gourd on his back emerges from the sand.

"No, it's Gaara of the Desert." Naruto snarls out. Gaara raises his hand. "Shit!" He grabs Sakura's arm and runs.

"Naruto, what are you doing?" Sakura starts to ask, but glances back in time to see a wave of sand heading their way. _WHAT THE HELL?!_

------------

Authoress Notes: A very talky-talky, Sasuke-centric chapter. Well, atleast that should explain more of the situation and it should make up for Sasuke's lack of spotlight last time. Since Itachi never killed the clan, we don't have Mr. Avenger must-have-power-rawr Sasuke. Instead, he's more like pre-clan killing Sasuke, but with stronger insecurities.

Also, I noticed the constant switching of terms "man" and "boy" as well as "woman" and "girl" appeared quite frequently. That's mostly to reflect their appearance to those around them. All of them don't quite look their ages, so it gets a little confusing, even for me, what to refer them as.

_GhostlyMaiden_


	3. Settling Ochre

**It All Started That Night**  
III. _Settling Ochre_

_GOD DAMN IT!_ Coal black eyes glare at bound feet. _How could I just crack like that?! How could I betray my brother's trust…_ Sasuke's thoughts drift back to the day of his hunt.

"But father, why do I have to stay behind?" Sasuke asks the older Uchiha.

"You are not yet ready for a mission this important. I think it'd be better for you to start with something simpler like collecting animals for the children." The man responds. The boy clenches his fist, glaring at the floor. Anger boils in his chest, but he holds it back. It wouldn't be wise to go against his father. A sturdy hand is placed on his shoulder. His fists relax as he turns to meet his older brother's gaze. His older brother gives him the weird half-smile that he'd been given many times before. Itachi turns to his father.

"I would like Sasuke on the team tonight, father." He says to him.

"Itachi, he is only a fledgeling."

"25 of his classmates are assigned to missions like this. I think this should be simple enough for the valedictorian. Don't you think so, father?"

"Hmmm…" The elder Uchiha contemplates for a moment. He sighs. Sasuke's head lifts eagerly. "Very well, but he is your responsibility, Itachi." Darkness filters through the memory, revealing the night of a new moon.

"The darkness shrouds the woods. The stars in the sky and the flames lit by man rebels against this darkness, but it is futile without the light of the moon." His brother says to him, as he looks over the forest. His brother shifts, scraping the ends of his robe in the dirt. "The night is when man is most vulnerable." Sasuke nods his head in agreement.

"I understand."

"I don't need anyone slowing me down." Itachi says to the younger Marked. Sasuke turns to meet his eyes.

"I know." He says sternly. With the aid of his eyes, he can see the faint smirk on his brother's face.

_DAMN IT!_ He throws his head back in frustration, slamming it into the wall. Pain ripples from the hit, spreading through his nerves.

"Now, now, there's no need for that little Uchiha." A cheery voice fills his ears. He lowers his head, keeping his face blank and expressionless. "I don't think giving yourself a concussion is going to help your situation." He can see the man's shoes close in on him. He keeps his gaze low all the same.

_This must be my executioner, or maybe they plan to interrogate me further?_ He thinks to himself. He feels pressure on the back of his head. He growls, looking into a dark brown eye.

"Don't touch me." He shakes his head, moving them away from the fingers.

"It's nothing serious. You'll just have a large bump for a few hours." The grey-haired man says cheerfully with his eye closed. The boy smirks.

"So what now? Are you going to kill me?" He says with false bravado. Inside he trembles at the prospect of death.

"Actually, no." The man slips his hand under the boy's yukata, feeling the smooth mark on the juncture between the neck and shoulder. The boy snaps his teeth at the offensive appendage. In a quick movement, Kakashi uses his other hand to clamp firmly over the boy's mouth. Kakashi's hand glows as he reinforces the restriction seal he placed over the mark.

_What the hell is he doing to me?_ Sasuke thinks, as he grits his teeth from the pain. The sensation dies down and the hands move away from his skin to the ropes binding him. _He's letting me go?_ The ropes fall to the floor.

The boy lunges at the man, calling on the power of his mark. His eyes widen when the familiar pulse doesn't come forth. Kakashi grabs the boy's wrists, pushing him against the wall. "As you've probably realized, your mark is dormant and will be for a few hours or so. I'd suggest you'd comply or I'll inflict you with a thousand years of pain." He releases the boy's wrists, who in turn glares at him before turning his head away.

"My name is Kakashi. From today and onward, I am to be your babysitter." He takes a green book out of his pouch. The boy twitches when he notices the title. "So be a good boy and don't kill people or kidnap little girls, okay?" The boy scoffs at the man's teasing tone.

"I've already told you beasts everything I know." He says to the man. The man doesn't reply, instead turning a page in his book. The boy watches him from the corner of his eye. …_What is he doing? Shouldn't I be tortured and beaten right now? Stupid animal…_

**BOOM! CRASH!** The room shakes violently. Kakashi opens the door and peeks outside.

"Well, that can't be good." He says as people and animals run by screaming in panic.

------

_What have I gotten myself into?_ Sakura whines inside. _I'm just a lowly handmaiden who's supposed to tend to my Lady's every need from the comforts of a house with a fireplace and wooden flooring._ She looks back in time to watch a rabbit get swallowed up in the sand wave. _I don't even have any shoes damn it!_

"Hey, don't slow down! You'll die if you fall behind, you know?" Naruto calls back as they run.

_No shit, moron._ Sakura thinks bitterly. She doesn't respond to him though. Breathing and running are the topmost important things on her list at the moment. She glances out the corner of her eye, seeing one of Naruto's clones holding a little girl in his arms. A tendril of sand lashes out from the wave and trips the clone. The clone falls, disappearing in a puff of smoke as the girl screams. The sand buries her. Sakura closes her eyes, trying to forget the image fresh in her mind.

------

_How did those demons find this place?_ A golden-antlered stag gallops a few yards ahead with a blonde woman hanging tightly on his back. _Flushing us out by filling the tunnels with sand is a smart move. How did they manage to dig a tunnel from above without us noticing?_ He flinches when he feels a hard kick at his side.

"Move it! After everything I've been through, I'm not going to die like this!" Ino screams, giving him another kick.

"Knock it off, woman. I'm not a horse." Shikamaru tells her. In response, she kicks him again. _Man, what a pain._

------

_Damn it!_ Naruto swears. _I can't run at full speed with this girl. If only I was a little older…_ His thoughts break as he feels a sharp pull from his grasp. His fingers lose hold of her arm. _No!_ "Sakura!" He hollers, turning back to see Sakura with a tendril of sand wrapped around her leg. She stares at the sand with wide eyes, shaking in fear.

"NO!" She screams, shutting her eyes tightly and bringing her arms to her face as if to shield her from her inevitable death. Just seconds before she would have been buried, Naruto notices a black blur flash in his vision. The blur passes Sakura, scooping her up. Naruto feels a trace of hair whip against his scarred cheek.

_Wh-What the?_ Naruto quickly shakes off his shock to resume running. He grins. "Four legs are faster than two." Smoke puffs around him and he emerges from it as a two-foot long, red fox.

_Huh? Am I dead?_ Sakura wonders as she opens her eyes. _Oh wow._ She takes in the pale complexion, mysterious black eyes and wisps of silky black hair that frames the face of the "stranger". Her cheeks flush. _Is this the angel who's supposed to take me to heaven?_

"Hey, you're that bastard from that night aren't you?!" Naruto's voice interrupts her thoughts dissipating the fluffy white clouds and golden halo that surrounded her angel. She shifts in her savior's hold to have a better look at the fox running next to them. "What are you doing with Sakura?!"

"Shut up, you annoying kitsune." Her savior snaps back.

"Amusing as that was to watch, I'd suggest you climb back on." A large white wolf runs up beside them. The dark-haired boy glares at Kakashi, but does as he says. After all, without his mark he can't run anywhere near as fast as he should be able to.

"Wait for me!" The fox hollers, jumping onto the six foot tall wolf's back.

"Hold on tight." This is Kakashi's only warning before he moves at near Mach speed. Sasuke's fingers tighten their grasp on the wolf's long fur. Naruto digs his claws into the wolf's haunch. Sakura squeezes her arms around Sasuke's waist since she is riding side-saddle and couldn't get a good grip on Kakashi's fur. Her cheeks turn a shade darker as she buries her face in the boy's chest.

Light shines from the end of the tunnel. The wolf bursts through it, twisting to the side letting the sand gush out like blood from an open wound. The sand that flows out starts to change shape and harden in the form of large, monster raccoons with six-inch long claws and three-inch long fangs.

"Heh, if it's a fight he wants, it's a fight he gets!" The fox jumps from his perch, charging at the raccoons as an army of fox clones pop up with him.

"Naruto!" Kakashi calls after him.

"Bring it on!" The foxes yell in unison. Clouds of smoke and dust fill the air as the foxes and raccoons engage in battle.

_We have to regroup with the rest of the Leaf Guardians._ Kakashi thinks to himself. "Naruto! Stop messing around!"

"Don't worry about me, Kakashi-beta! I'll catch up later!" A fox clone pops up next to the wolf. "By the way…" The fox puffs jumps onto Sakura's lap. "Don't touch Sakura with those filthy hands of yours, bastard!" He nips at the Marked's hand. The Marked boy swears under his breath and glares at the kitsune. "Sakura is mine!" Naruto says, sticking out his tongue. He nuzzles his muzzle against her stomach. Sakura turns red and balls her hand into a fist.

"Naruto!" She slams a fist into him, making the clone disappear in a puff of smoke.

"I'm just teasing, Sakura…" Another fox says from on top the wolf's head. He winks and disappears in a puff of smoke.

_Naruto has improved in his replication abilities and timing while I've been gone. I guess he's been taking my lessons to heart._ The wolf smiles to himself. He raises his nose to the air, looking for the scent of his comrades and subordinates. _Time to go._ "Hang on tight, you two." The wolf runs in the direction of the closest scent he could catch.

"I don't know what your game is, Marked." A voice whispers in Sasuke's ear from behind him. Sasuke tenses for a minute before identifying it as the voice of the kitsune. The clone leans closer to Sasuke. "What with you saving Sakura and all. But if you hurt her, I'll kill you, you hear?" Sasuke elbows the clone in response. It disappears with a soft pop.

_Collect all virgin women and bring them back alive. That was the mission entrusted to me by my brother._ Sasuke looks down at the girl who has her head buried in his chest once again. _I'm not going to fail him._ He smirks at the frail figure holding onto him like a lifeline.

------

"That was close." The caterpillar says, as he finishes the last of the raccoon clones. The deer nods his head.

"Demons, how troublesome…" Shikamaru comments, glancing at the boulders lodged at the exit of the tunnel. Shortly after having escaped, Chouji had moved the boulders in place to keep more sand from flowing out while Shikamaru held the forming sand clones in place with his shadow. Once the task had been completed, Chouji proceeded to take out each of the raccoons.

"Hey! I'm bleeding here!" Ino yells into the deer's ear. "Change the bandages already would you?!" She kicks the deer in the side.

"Stop with the kicking, troublesome woman!" He bends his legs to the ground to let her slide off him and turns into his human shape with a puff of smoke. He starts to unwrap her bandages.

"Ah! You pervert!" She thrashes, realizing what exactly her bandages were wrapped around.

"Shut up, woman. Why would I be interested in such things? Grow some hooves and maybe I'll care." He mumbles. She relaxes, seeing the logic in those words. "Besides, I've already seen 'em once." A vein pops up in Ino's forehead.

"WHAT?!"

"Hey Chouji, I need to borrow some of your silk. I don't have any fresh bandages on me."

"Sure thing, Shikamaru."

Once the bandages have been changed, Ino tentatively pokes at the silk wrapped around her torso. "This is so gross."

"You'd rather bleed to death? We should meet with the other survivors." The brunet sniffs the air. _The wind…That's strange…SHIT!_ "Chouji! Cocoon now!"

"R-Right!" The caterpillar expels silk from his mouth, covering the three in a cocoon dome. Shortly afterwards, the harsh sound of tearing and cutting is heard. A wicked female laugh is mixed in the background. Ino yelps as a long set of claws cuts through the top of the dome. It works it's way through making a small hole.

"W-What?" Ino stutters. The white fur of a weasel head pokes in.

"Hey, little fawn. I have a score to settle with you." The weasel bares it's teeth. "I haven't forgiven you for last time!" The weasel uses her slender body to squeeze in through the hole. Shikamaru changes into his deer form and blocks her claws with his large antlers. The weasel smirks, flicking her sickle-tail much like a scorpion. Shikamaru jumps back in time to avoid the strike. The caterpillar headbutts her in the side, smashing her into the cocoon wall.

"Now, Shikamaru!" Chouji says. Shikamaru uses the darkness within the dome to extend his own shadow through it in order to bind her. Just as his shadow touches her, a flash of light emits repelling his shadow.

"What?" Shikamaru says out loud. The weasel smirks at the stag.

"I learned from our last battle, Shikamaru." The weasel tugs at the string of a necklace tied around her neck, hidden in her fur. A talisman is revealed with the kanji symbol for 'light' painted on it. "To think a Nara deer would be given the ability to manipulate his shadow within darkness. Doesn't that sound more like the blessing of a demon than one of a celestial?" The deer merely relaxes his stance.

"I thought it was strange that you'd follow us into the cocoon after what happened last time." Shikamaru says reflecting on events from years before. "If Gaara hadn't come, you would have died, Temari." The weasel grits her teeth.

"Yes, but this time you're the ones who are trapped." With those words, the weasel lunges at the three, claws out-stretched.

------------

Authoress Notes: You have no idea how much my muses annoyed me during the entire Kakashi and Sasuke scene at the beginning. The whole time they were screaming "Ooh! Bondage! Make out! Sweaty man sex!" and I had to keep telling them over and over that it's not a KakaSasu. I ended up having to hit them over the head with a mallet. Anyways, I was originally planning to have Temari fight Kakashi, but I decided having her fight Shikamaru is more fitting. I'm just not good at giving other characters the shaft in my stories.

---**_Little Lady GM's Corner_**---

Hello! It has been brought to my attention that my story has been extremely confusing which makes sense since this universe was created by smashing the Narutoverse into pieces and putting them back together a little differently. So, I have set up lesson plans on various topics which will now be displayed at the end of each chapter. If you don't want to read these, then you don't have to. I'll also avoid putting spoilers. Anyways, onwards...

Lesson One: _The Marked_

The Marked are obviously inspired by Orochimaru's curse seals in the canon Narutoverse. Unlike the canon, the marks are a birth trait passed down from generation to generation. There are different types of marks with two types being revealed thus far: the kaleidoscope and the three tomoe which corresponds with their clans: the Uchiha and the Tenfuuin.

Younger Marked first have to train in order to utilize the power of their marks. All Marked undergo physical changes, at lower levels featuring mainly stripes, spots, and/or patterns appearing on the skin (curse seal level 1). Depending on how much power is drawn out, the body can warp into something completely inhuman in appearance. In this case, Sasuke also develops claws, elongated fangs and long hair. This is why Sakura has not realized that Sasuke is a Marked in this chapter.

Marked are hated by humans and sacred animals alike. Both consider Marked to be unnatural and pure evil. Marked are unable to ingest food and water, relying on the devouring of souls. It is said that it is because Marked are born without souls and thus have to take them from others. The fact that Marked are especially drawn to pure souls increases the hatred aimed towards them.

Marked have high fertility levels, but an equally high infant mortality rate, meaning most Marked children never live long after birth. In response, clans assign certain people to be breeders who's sole existence is to keep the clan populated with as many children as possible.

The Marked have a strong sense of tradition and honor, believing in the purity of the bloodline above all. When the mixing of bloodlines was first proposed, it recieved much opposition. However, two clan heads eventually decided to test the idea. The child born was gifted with the powers of both clans as well as being stronger, faster, and smarter than the average Marked. Seeing the positive results from the test, more hybrid children were born.

However, the Marked society still have many who frown upon hybrid Marked and thus increase hostility towards them. Any hybrid Marked who prove to have become weaker rather than stronger from the union are killed.

_GhostlyMaiden_


	4. Striking Cyan

**It All Started That Night**  
IV. _Striking Cyan_

_I can smell Kurenai and Asuma ahead._ Kakashi bounds through the forest as rain starts to spill from the skies. _Damn, this rain will wash the scent away. I'd better pick up the pace._ His eye rolls to the side. He jumps a fraction of a second to the side before the ground explodes in fire. _Traps, huh?_ He evades the next explosion as well. Sakura screams, holding tighter to Sasuke as Sasuke struggles to hold onto Kakashi. _There!_ He deliberately twists, causing his passengers to fall onto the ground. His fur fluffs up as static courses through his body. Sparks flare around his horns.

"Raikiri!" He calls out as blade of lightning emerges from his chest. The blade soars through the rain striking the ground, flushing out a man in hiding. Half of his face is covered by a shawl as the other half of his face has large red stripes running along his cheeks.

"It's been a while hasn't it, White Fang of the Leaves?" The man says. Smoke covers his form revealing a large leopard.

"Baki of the Desert Winds, I figured you and your little gang were behind all this." The wolf says in response. He examines the area. _Sasuke and Sakura aren't anywhere in sight. Well, at least I tagged the boy so they'll be easy enough to find. For now, I have other matters to deal with._

The leopard inhales, his body visibly expanding like a balloon. Kakashi braces himself as Baki exhales. A large gust of wind pushes Kakashi back. His claws dig into the muddy earth. Specks of blood burst from the cuts carving into the skin hidden within his white fur. Lightning dances along his skin as he counters with another lightning blade. The lightning grazes the leopard's shoulder as he dodges. Another gust of wind bursts from the leopard's jaws. The winds cut the headband covering Kakashi's eye. The eye glows red, bringing clarity into the muddied vision caused by the rain. Each falling raindrop is captured in that gaze.

_I need to end this quickly. I guess I'll have to get serious._ Black stripes burn across the white wolf's fur.

------

A black blur races pass the trees. His footsteps are heard with large, wet plops as mud clings to his sandals. _Damn. I have no idea where I am. How am I supposed to find Itachi?_ His eyes scan his surroundings. _If that bastard hadn't sealed my mark…_ He twists to the side, barely sliding pass an incoming tree. _This would be a lot easier._ His foot slips and he barely regains balance. Sakura tightens her hold around his neck.

"Umm…excuse me…" Sakura says with a light blush on her cheeks. The boy glances at her, trying to keep his focus on running. "Thanks for saving me earlier."

_Heh, don't read into it, stupid girl._ The Marked thinks to himself. "It's nothing." He says out loud. Her blush deepens.

"My name is Sakura Haruno. May I have yours?"

"Hmph, Sasuke." The Marked says without looking at her. _What is with this girl? What happened to the crazy bitch who goes around biting people?_

_Sasuke…ahhh…he's so dreamy._ The girl thinks to herself as hearts form in her eyes. "Hey, Sasu-" A hand covers her mouth as they come to an abrupt stop. _Huh? What's going on now?_

"Be quiet." He whispers in her ear, setting her down to crouch on a tree branch. She looks through the tangles of branches and leaves to see a man below them.

_Red hair…and that gourd…He's that guy!_ Sakura thinks as she recalls the incident in the tunnels. _What is he doing?_

The redhead had his hand held in front of him. A tendril of mud is wrapped around a horse, a green-haired woman, and a man with bandages on his arm. "I will kill everyone." The man mumbles too low for a human to hear, but high enough for a Marked to pick up. He clenches his hand into a fist. The mud constricts around it's prey, spurting blood out of the bodies. Sakura pales at the sight, feeling bile make it's way up her throat. She swallows loudly, trying to keep it down.

_What a waste of life. He could have at least ate them._ The Marked thinks to himself, unaffected by the carnage. He barely has enough time to blink as the mud redirects it's attention towards them. The mud breaks the branch they are sitting on and they fall. Sasuke twists mid-air, grabbing onto Sakura and pressing her against him. His back hits the forest floor cushioning the impact for Sakura.

"Sasuke! Sasuke, are you okay?!" The girl cries out, sitting up on her wrists to decrease the weight on his chest. Mud wraps around her waist separating her from him. Another tendril of mud wraps around Sasuke's wrists and ankles, holding him in the air. Sasuke breathes heavily, still trying to get his wind back.

_That really fucking hurt._ He coughs up blood, leaving a red patch in the grass below. When he looks up, his eyes lock with light blue ones. The black markings around them making the redhead look even more sinister.

"Those eyes. You're just like me." The redhead says softly. Sakura is too busy screaming and punching at the mud holding her to notice. "The whole reason for your existence is to kill others."

"At least I don't let good food go to waste, beast." The Marked says, spitting blood onto the demon's face. A wisp of mud wipes away the red spot on the demon's cheek. Gaara raises his hand. He spreads his fingers into an open palm. Sasuke screams as the mud tugs onto his limbs.

"Sasuke!" Sakura calls out. "Let Sasuke go, you freak without eyebrows!"

_He's going to rip me apart!_ Sasuke screams inside his head. He pulls against the mud, curving his wrists forward and bending his knees. _I can't let him win._ He grits his teeth as his elbows start to bend forward. _I can't…I can't…_ He feels a familiar sensation course through his body. He roars as a thousand birds sing with him. Now free from his bindings, he falls on all fours to the floor. _I used Chidori? How? My mark is sealed._ He doesn't get a chance to think more as his legs leap back on instinct. A tendril of mud chases after him.

------

A drenched fox pants heavily with ragged breaths. His shoulders move up and down rhythmically. He chuckles, whiskers twitching as he does so. "Heh, that was a pretty good workout." He grumbles. He falls forward onto the grass with his eyes shut. He snores inaudibly due to the pelting rain.

"Silly, little kitsune." A figure walks toward the sleeping fox. "It's dangerous to sleep out in the open." The figure reaches out with narrow fingers. The fox puffs away.

"FAKE OUT!" A voice cries out behind the figure. A blue-eyed blond throws a punch at the person. The person tilts their head. Naruto's knuckles graze black hair as pale hands grasp his arm. The person twists, moving behind the boy and bending Naruto's arm back uncomfortably. The sharp end of a needle presses against the boy's nape.

"You're getting better, Naruto." The person behind him whispers into his ear. Something pricks against the person's neck, just beneath their collar. "Much better." The person smiles, pressing the needle into the clone's neck making it pop. The fox removes his jaws from the person's neck and jumps off the person's shoulders.

"Hehe. Long time no see, Haku!" He says with a foxy grin. His tail wags happily behind him.

"Yes, it has been too long, old friend." The feminine boy replies with a smile. His smile turns stern. "Too bad our reunion isn't under better circumstances." The fox squints his eyes as he nods.

"Oh yeah!" The fox sniffs the air. "With all the excitement, I forgot about Kakashi-beta, Sakura and that bastard. Now where could they-ah!" He stops and points in one direction. "Kakashi-beta and that leopard guy is a few miles eastward, but Sakura and that bastard's scent isn't with them. Their scent…" He growls. "I can smell a raccoon in the same direction as their scent."

"Lead the way, Naruto. I'll lend my assistance." Haku says. Naruto nods and launches into the forest.

_I hope Sakura is okay…_

------

_Damn. This rain is intensifying his lightning abilities._ Baki thinks to himself as he barely dodges another blade of lightning. _I have no choice. I have to retreat._ He inhales, inflating his body once more. He exhales and uses the distraction to escape the wolf.

_I don't have time to pursue him._ The wolf watches the leopard disappear. He turns around. His red eye glows vibrantly as he searches for the sign indicating where his tagged Marked had run off to. A flaring white dot appears in his line of sight. _I have to catch Sasuke before he gets into trouble._ Overhead, the rain stops falling.

------

A black blur jumps erratically from tree branch to tree branch. The sand turned mud chases him, only a nanosecond away from tapping his heels. _Come on! It worked before! It can work again!_ He tries to will his mark to respond.

"Leave Sasuke alone!" The pink-haired girl screams as she shakes her fist in the air. Fortunately for her, the raccoon ignores her. His focus similar to that of a child trying to catch a housefly in mid-air.

_Even if it's only a little power…I just need enough to free that stupid girl before that damn animal kills her!_ A surge of electricity pulses in his left arm. _Finally!_ He gathers it into a small ball in the palm of his hand. The sparks lick at his fingers, seeping out between them. "Chidori!" He thrusts his hand forward, slicing through the mud holding Sakura. She falls, landing on his back. Her arms reflexively wrap around his neck as he holds her legs up. Sasuke turns and runs for it.

"You can't get away." Gaara says calmly. A cloud of sand forms in front of him and he jumps onto it. He chases after them. His arms move erratically, directing the sand with each motion.

"Ah, Sasuke! There's one coming from the left!" He jumps to a tree on the right. "Above you!" He moves again. "Directly behind!"

_I know. I know, stupid girl. Shut up, so I can concentrate already._ Sasuke jumps straight up. The sand crashes into the tree beneath him. _Your annoying voice is louder than the damn sand._ He lands on another branch and jumps off shortly afterwards.

"_That's enough, Gaara. End this now._" A voice whispers in Gaara's head.

"Yes." He responds. He raises both his hands and brings them together in a circle. Sand bursts from the ground, capturing his prey in a large sphere.

"W-What's going on?" Sakura cries out. The sand encasing them blocks out the sunlight, plunging them into darkness. "What's going on, Sasuke?"

_How should I know? If I could just use my eyes, I'd be able to see…Come on! I made Chidori work! I can do this, too!_ The boy tries to will the power of his mark once more.

"Die." The red-haired boy proceeds to clasp his hands together.

"Here I come to save the day! Dynamic kick!" Something heavy slams into the side of Gaara's face. Chips of sand fly off and reform around the redhead's cheek. The sand sphere crumbles. It's two captives fall to the forest floor. This time, Sasuke lands on his feet.

_What was that?_ Gaara looks around. Another heavy weight slams into his back and then into his abdomen.

_Good. With him distracted, this is my best chance to escape._ Sasuke turns to run but slams straight into a bundle of fur.

"Now where do you think you're going, Sasuke?" Kakashi says to him. "You mind setting the little lady down? You two can't go off and elope just yet." Sakura blushes as Sasuke acquiesces.

"Sakura!" A blond boy tackles Sakura from behind, throwing his arms around her waist. "You're okay!" Sakura's face turns red.

"Naruto, you moron! Get off me!" She pushes against him. "You're embarrassing me, dimwit!"

"Don't mind him. He gets a little overexcited." A woman in a pink kimono appears next to them. "Especially when it comes to cute girls like you, miss."

_She…She looks like my mother._ Sasuke stares at the newcomer. Sakura notices the hypnotized gaze Sasuke is giving the new girl and fumes. She twists 180 degrees and socks Naruto upside the head. She calmly walks over to the new girl, suppressing the urge to beat her to a pulp.

"I'm Sakura Haruno. May I ask who you are?"

"I am Haku of the Mist Guardians. Unfortunately, we need to set the chit-chat aside for now. We have bigger vermin to exterminate."

"HAH! I am in the springtime of my youth, Guy-beta!" A mouse says from on top of Gaara's gourd. He moves a second before the sand hits him. He punches Gaara's leg, causing sand to spill. He moves to the redhead's arm and then his hip.

"You're really starting to irritate me." Gaara says, a tendril of sand slams into the rodent making him fly through the air. Light blue eyes look over the battlefield. _Seems there are more pests now. Doesn't matter. I'll just kill them all._ The raccoon boy raises his hand.

"Gaara! We're pulling back!" A large black crow flies overhead with a weasel in his talons.

"Shut up, Kankuro." Gaara says without lowering his hand. "I'll kill everyone."

"_Yes, kill them all._"

Gaara swoops down, heading straight towards the Marked. Sand covers him, changing him into a monstrous raccoon. He pulls back one of his massive paws. A flash of pink blocks his path.

"How many times do I have to tell you?! Leave Sasuke alone!" The girl calls out with her arms spread wide.

_Those eyes…_ Gaara thinks to himself

"_Gaara, stop it!_" An image in Gaara's head calls out.

_They're exactly the same. I **hate** those eyes!_ His paw comes down.

"Sakura move!" Naruto runs to shield her. A brown blur darts between Sakura's legs. A puff of smoke bursts in front of her, revealing a boy dressed in green spandex. He thrusts his fist into the beast's paw. The paw cracks and falls apart. Sand reforms into another paw. The beast steps backward, holding it's head.

"_Stop Gaara!_"

"_Kill them!_"

"_Stop it!_"

"_Kill them all!_"

"_STOP!_"

"_KILL!_"

_SHUT UP!_ The raccoon hops onto his sand cloud and speeds away. The crow tailing him.

"The power of youth triumphs over all!" The boy in green spandex holds two fingers up and smiles. A ping is heard as his teeth sparkle.

"Nice going fuzzy eyebrows!" Naruto says happily. _Though I should have been the one to rescue Sakura._

"My sweet lady!" The mouse-turned-human takes Sakura's hand in his. "My beautiful flower! I, Rock Lee, shall protect you with my life! Please grant me your lovely name!"

_Ew! Ew! Ew! Are those caterpillars? They can't be eyebrows! EW!_ Sweat beads on Sakura's forehead as she smiles nervously. "Sakura…Haruno…sir…"

"Miss. Sakura! Ah, the perfect name for someone as beautiful as you! And your voice, it is like the tinkling of bells!"

"Uh…thank you…I guess." _Get away from me! Go! Shoo, boy! Shoo!_

"LEE!" A voice hollers, directing all attention towards it. A five foot tall rat riding on the back of a turtle is seen as the red sun shines behind him.

"GUY-BETA!"

"Lee, you ran off on your own without informing me first! Accept your punishment!" The rat slams a fist straight into Lee's skull. The boy flies through the air, slamming into a tree and poofs into a mouse. The mouse sits up and rubs his head. The rat crawls on all fours towards the mouse. Tears glisten in the larger rodent's eyes. "I'm sorry, Lee, but it's for your own good."

"It's okay, Guy-beta!" The smaller of the two says as his eyes start to water as well. "I understand!"

"Oh, Lee!" Guy pulls Lee into his arms with a tight squeeze.

"Guy-beta!"

"Lee!"

"Guy-beta!"

_No matter how many times I see this, it always sends chills down my spine._ A fox sighs.

_These animals are even weirder than I thought._ A Marked contemplates.

_Rats! Rats! EEK! RATS!_ A human suppresses the urge to scream out loud.

------------

Authoress Notes: Okay, first things first, don't be expecting rapid fire updates from now on. I have two quizzes and an exam to do by April (at least, cause I have others at less pressing deadlines), so I need to put more focus on my schoolwork now. I also have another plot bunny dancing in my head, so I may have two stories to work on at once soon. The other reason this chapter took so long to get up is cause I had like four or five different ways this chapter could go. Various fight scenes, dialogue, different characters, but I finally decided on this. Heck, the only thing I knew that HAD to be in this chapter was Gaara and Sasuke's little conversation.

---**_Little Lady GM's Corner_**---

Lesson Two: _Sacred Animals_

As Shikamaru mentioned, any animal can become a sacred animal. The standard animal is considered to be the equivalent of human infancy. The animal lives based purely on primal instincts of eat, live, mate, etc. When the animal survives for a long period of time, they start to develop human-like conciousness. Once they have fully "awakened" into this conciousness, the animal's corresponding deity gifts them with special abilities (the first usually being the ability to take on a human shape) as a reward.

Although the standard animal stage is considered equivalent to human infancy, sacred animals do not consider humans to be "baby killers". They see the animal stage as an important trial following the law of "survival of the fittest".

After the animal has been blessed by their deity, they're life is then judged based on their actions. If one lives a long, benevolent life, the animal may become a _celestial_, which means they ascend to the heavens and watch over the world for eternity. However, if one is malevolent in their livelihood, they turn into _demons_. The demon lifespan varies from animal to animal and is often sought after by animals, because it is the easier, "more fulfilling" path to take. The rarity of stories in which animals have become celestial has also made some animals think they're only myths.

Sacred animals transform similar to the zodiac animals in Fruits Basket, or the standard henge in the Narutoverse, in which they are covered by a puff of smoke. Most animals do not have a midway transformation in which they appear human with animal traits (such as a girl with cat ears and tail).

_GhostlyMaiden_


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